O Kyr Antonis is a famous song. Manos Hadjidakis wrote the music and the lyrics and it was performed by legendary singers of the 60’s in Greece.

From all these great performances, I definitely prefer the one included in this article. Manos Hadjidakis sings and the Oscar awarded Greek larger-than-life actress and politician Melina Merkouri is translating the lyrics to French for the French State Television. This video is a black-and-white gem!

O KYR ANTONIS
Manos Hadjidakis

 DmA
Ο κυρ-Αντώνης πάει καιρός που ζούσε στην αυλή
 Dm
μ’ ένα κανάτι κι ένα κρεβάτι και με κρασί πολύ
 A
Είχε δυο μάτια γαλανά κι αχτένιστα μαλλιά
 Dm
κι ένα λουλούδι πάντα φορούσε στα ρούχα τα παλιά
 BbC7
Αχκυρ-Αντώνη πώς σ’ αγαπάμε
FD7
και μαζί σου τ’ άστρα μετράμε
Gm
Τις φωτιές για σένα πηδάμε
Dm
ώσπου να ’ρθει βροχή
 BbC7
Καιτον θυμό σου πάντα ξεχνάμε
FD7
σαν πουλιά μαζί τριγυρνάμε
Gm
σαν παιδιά με σένα γελάμε
DmA7
σαν κάνεις προσευχή 
 DmA
Οκυρ-Αντώνης βιάζεται να πάει να κοιμηθεί
 Dm
γιατί το βράδυ στα όνειρά του θέλει να θυμηθεί
 A
Ότι ποτέ δεν έζησε, μες στ’ όνειρό τουζει
 Dm
μα η νύχτα φεύγει και λυπημένο τον βρίσκει η χαραυγή

Chorus

 DmA
Μαένα βράδυ ο κυρ-Αντώνης στρώνει να κοιμηθεί
 Dm
κι όταν ξυπνάμε τον καρτεράμε στην πόρτα να βρεθεί
 A
Μα ο κυρ-Αντώνης δεν θα βγει ποτέ του στην αυλή
 Dm
αφού για πάντα μες στ’ όνειρό του θέλησε πια ναζει

More Info and External Links

Manos Hadjidakis (1925-1994) was a legendary Greek composer and person; he is considered perhaps modern Greece’s greatest composer and songwriter, rivaled only by Mikis Theodorakis for the title.

Hadjidakis helped usher in a new era of Greek music in the post-WWII era, elevating the earthiest strains of Greek folk and popular song, including rebetiko, into respected art forms.

In the process, he found tremendous popular success in his home country (Greece), chiefly through his work as a pop songwriter, and became familiar to international audiences through his movie soundtracks, winning an Oscar in 1960.

Hadjidakis also composed contemporary classical pieces for ensembles small and large, often inspired by Greek poetry, and wrote for theater and ballet.

Many of his songs, larger compositions, and recordings are considered classics in Greece, and cornerstones of the country’s modern popular music. He remained a highly respected intellectual and cultural figure in Greece up until his death in 1994.

  • Manos Hadjidakis short biography (EN) in all music.com – click here
  • Manos Hadjidakis in wikipedia (EN) – click here
  • Manos Hadjidakis official web page (GR-EN) – click here
  • Melina Merkouri in wikipedia (EN) – click here
  • Melina Merkouri in IMDB (EN) – click here
  • Stellios Kazantzidis in Wikipedia (EN) – click here
  • Manolis Hiotis in Wikipedia (EN) – click here
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